you, essentially, to take -- consider some sort of executive action onthisdebtceilingissue. iknow you've said you're not negotiating on it. your administration has ruled out the various ideas that have been out there -- the 14th amendment. but just this morning, one of the house democratic leaders, jim clyburn, asked you to use the 14th amendment and even said, sometimes that's what it takes. he brought up the emancipation proclamation as saying it took executive action when congress wouldn't act, and he compared the debt ceiling to that. so are you considering a plan b, and if not, why not? >> well, chuck, the issue here is whether or not america pays its bills. we are not a deadbeat nation. and so there's a very simple solution to this: congress authorizes us to pay our bills. now, if the house and the senate want to give me the authority so that they don't have to take these tough votes, if they want to put the responsibility on me to raise the debt ceiling, i'm happy to take it. mitch mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate, had a proposal like that last year, and i'm h

word aboutthedebtceiling, whichis not everybody understands what the debt ceiling is about. the debt ceiling -- raising the debt ceiling, which congress has to do periodically, gives the government the ability to pay its existing bills. it does not create new deficits. it does not create new spending. so not raising the debt ceiling is sort of like a family which is trying to improve its credit ratings and i know how we can save money, we will not pay our credit card bills. not the most effective way to improve your credit rating. it was a very slow solution to the debt ceiling in august of 2011 that got the u.s. downgraded last time. so it's very important. all these issues are important, but it's very, very important that congress take necessary action to raise the debt ceiling to avoid a situation where our government does not pay its bills. >> a number of people have expressed concern about how much of the challenges actually were addressed in the deal. it went part of the way, as you mentioned. but it leaves a number of issues still on the table and traditional negotia

, the president expected shortly. he will be talking aboutthedebtceiling. thatis the $16.7billionceilingwewill hit up against in congress. also, possibly touching on topics like gun violence and other issues that are on the president's agenda. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. >> please have a seat. good morning. i thought it might make sense to take some questions this week as my first term comes to an end. it has been a busy and productive for years. i expect the same thing from the next four years, and i intend to carry out the agenda i campaigned on. new security for the middle class. right now our economy is growing and our businesses are creating new jobs. we are poised for a good year. if we make smart decisions in sound investments, and as long as washington politics did not get in the way of america's progress. as a set on the campaign, one component to growing our economy and broadening opportunity for the middle class is shrinking our deficit and a balanced and responsible way. for nearly two years now i have been fighting for such a plan, one that wo

the emancipation proclamation, and he comparedthedebtceilingtothat. are you considering this? and if not, why not? >> well, chuck, the issue here is whether or not america pays its bills. we are not a dead beat nation. so there is a very simple solution to all of this. congress authorizes us to pay our bills. now, if the house and senate want to give me authority so they do not have to take these tough votes, if they want to put the responsibility on me to raise the debt ceiling, i am happy to take it. mitch mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate, had a proposal like that last year, and i am happy to accept that, but they want to keep the responsibility, they need to go ahead and get it done. there are no magic tricks. there are no loopholes. there are no easy out. this is a matter of congress authorizes spending. they tell me you need to fund the defense department as such and such level. you need to send out social security checks. you need to make sure you are paying to care for the veterans. they lay all of this out for me. because they have the spending power. i am required by la